Typewriter-key punch



Aug. 28, 1928.

A. WEILAND ET AL TYPEWRITER KEY PUNCH 7 Filed Nov. 13, 1924 4Sheets-Sheet Z. M d W Z Aug. 28, 1928. 1,682,451

A. WEILAND ET AL TYPEWRI TER KEY PUNCH Filed Nov. 15, 1924 4Sheets-Sheet 3 gnve/nfor,

attomwq Aug. 28, 1928. 1,682,451

A. WEILAND ET AL TYPEWRITER KEY PUNCH Filed Nov. 13, 1924 4 Sheets-Sheet4 0000 o oo oo OOOOOOOOOOOO 000000000000 1 oooooooooooo WJMzQ PatentedAug. 28, 19 28.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ALFRED WEILAND, OF NESHAINIO, NEWJERSEY, HAROLD R. RUSSELL, OF DOUGLAS-TON, NEW YORK, AND CHARLES A. MEZGER, OF NEW BRUNSWICK, NEW JERSEY,ASSIGNORS, BY MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, TO REMINGTON RAND IN 0., OF NEW YORK,

N. Y., A. CORPORATION OF DELAWARE.

TYPE'WRITER-KEY PUNCH.

Application filed November 13, 1924. Serial No. 749,647.

This invention relates t6 the punching of cards for use in adding,tabulating, accounting or other machines wherein the mechanism is causedto function in a predetermined manner by an arrangement of perforationsin the card, and more particularly relates to a mechanism whereby theoperation of a typewriter in the compilation of statistics or other datasimultaneously sets up setting mechanism for controlling the perforatmgof a card m a manner representing the 1tem or data transcribed by thetypewriter.

Some of the objects of the present invention are to provide a typewriterand a card perforatin machine operating in combination in such a mannerthat any item or data written by the typewriter, or any desired portionthereof, will be simultaneously transferred to setting mechanism to.control the perforating of a card in the form of a code perforation; toprovide means for automatically perforating a record card under con;trol of a typewriter whereby the perforations on the card representeither numbers or letters of the alphabet, or both, as the case may be;to provide an improved-card perforating mechanism whereby certainselected charactors are each represented on the card by a singleperforation, while other Selected characters are each represented on thecard by two perforations; to provide an improved card perforating meanswhereby the operation of a single key of the machine causes more thanone card perforating operation: and to provide other improvements aswill hereinafter appear.

In the accompanying drawings, Fig. 1 represents a schematic plan of acard punching mechanism embodying one form of the present invention;Fig. 2 is a diagram of the control circuits arranged to be selectivelyoperated by the keys of a typewriter or other keyboard; Fig.3 is adiagram of one of the control circuits arranged to cause a singleperforation in a card under a control set up upon the actuation of onekey; Fig. 4 is a d'agram of one ofthe control circuits arranged to causetwo perforations in a card under a control set up upon theactuationmechanism; Figure 7 represents a sectional elevation of the punch andset-up mechanisms of a typewriter, and a punching or card perforatingmachine 11, arranged to have its punching mechanism 12 set in apredetermined manner by the actuation of the keys 13 of the keyboard 10.v

The keyboard. 10, generally considered, is a standard one having a rowof ten keys representing numerals from one to zero and three rows ofkeys representing letters of the alphabet. In the present arrangementthere are two auxiliary keys representing the numbers 11 and 12 in orderthat the arrangement may correspond to the ordinary or generally adoptedtwelve row record card 14 such as shown in Fig. 5. Also keys markedSpace, Skip and Clutch are employed for a purpose to be later explained.

The perforating machine 11 ishere shown of the type described in LettersPatent No. 1,307,682, granted to W. W. Lasker on June 24, 1919, having arow or rows of punches 15 arranged in corresponding relation to the cardlay out and mounted for movement in an upper plate 16, paralleling, butspaced from, a lower plate 17, the two plates forming the registeringmeans for the card which is fed into place between them. The two plates16 and 17 are periodically reciprocated in timed relation'to thesuccessive feeding of the cards and all the punches 15 arefree to movewith the card unless held against movement by a set-up mechanism ,18.This setup mechanism-determines which punches are to be held so that therelative movement of the card will cause them to perforate the card atthe 'place or places selected.

For the purpose of making a set-up for certain selected punchestheset-up mechanism 18 is provided, consisting of pins 20 correspondingin number to the number of punches and arranged respectively in verticalalinement above the punches. These pins 20 are slidably mounted in afixed box 21 and project from both sides thereof, on the all one sidetoward the punches and on the op posite side toward setting bars 22.Normally the pins 18 are held by springs 23 projected into the path ofand into close proximity to the aforesaid setting bars 22. These bars 22are slidably mounted in a box 2* and are respectively provided withlatches 25 which are arranged in set position of the bars 22 to engage aperforated spring pressed latch bar 26 and thus hold the pin or pins 20so that the corresponding punches 15 are held rigid in the path of themoving card. Suitable means are provided for operating the latch bar 26periodically to release the set bars 22, as is well understood in theart. The setting bars 22 are arranged to be actuated by plungers 27respectively located in alinement with the upper ends of the bars 22 ofa selected row of bars and slidably guided in a carriage or frame 28.The plun ers 27 are respectively pivoted to pivoted bell crank levers 30while springs 31 respectively re turn the plungers 27 to normalpositionand also hold the levers 30 in operative position.

The plungers 27, which form part of the means for selecting the set-upbars 22, are arranged as a single row corresponding in number andspacing to a transverse row of the punches, or expressed in another way,corresponding to a column of the record card, and being mounted on thecarriage 28, are brought step by step over the respective rows of set-upbars 22. Thus in each stop position a set-up is made, if required. and

i at the end of the cafiiage travel all of the bars 22, which have enset, are in position to hold the respective correspondin punches againstmovement. 'At the comp etion of this set-up cycle, the movable plates 16and 17 are automatically raised so that a gang punching of the cardtakes place from the set-up of the bars 22.

As a means for actuating the levers 30, a pluralitybf flexible rods 32are provided, one for each bell crank 30. One end of each rod 32 isslidably mounted in a support 33 so that it is normally in closeproximity to its bell crank lever 30, and the other end of each rod 32is connected for'independent op eration. Thus the rod ends arerespectively led through heads 34 of solenoids 35 and terminate in thepath of movement of the movable cores 36 of the respective solenoids 35.

When any solenoid 35 is energized its core 36 will cause the juxtaposedrod 32 to move in the direction of its length and rock its hell cranklever 30 so that the corresponding plunger 27 moves its setting bar 22into position to prevent movement of the punch 15 which it controls.

In order to energize the solenoids 35 selectively a plurality ofcircuits are provided hav ing a common source of current 37 a switch 38for control purposes, and a-resistance 40 for regulating the operatingcurrent. The

several circuits are separately controlled by contacts 41 and contactors42 arranged to be closed by the operation of the keys 13 of thetypewriter or other keyboard mechanism, and where there are the samenmnber of control points in a row of the card as there are keys on akeyboard, and the same number of punches, it is a relatively simplematter to provide the same number of circuits as there are keys so thateach key will control its own circuit and punch. \Vhen, however, thenumber of control points in a row of the card is less than the number ofkeys and all of the keys must be capable of independent action to recordall the desired data, a diflicult and troublesome situation arises andone whichhas heretofore remained unsolved in so far as punching a cardin a perforating mechanism of the general character disclosed isconcerned by operating a single key to cause more than one selectedpunch to perforate.

In the card 14, shown by way of example, the control points are arrangedin-parallel rows of twelve points each, which are respectively indicatedby printed numbers running consecutively from zero to nine and with thenumbers eleven and twelve above the zero, though this arrangement may bevaried in many ways withoutdeparting from the invention. \Vhile thereare a plurality of these rows of points on the card and correspondingrows of punches, the selecting mechanism consists, in the presentinstance, of a single row of selecting plungers 27, one for each pointin the card row, and the construction is such that after the selectingmechanism has acted upon one row of set-up bars 22 carriage 28 isautomatically shifted to a position in alinement with the next row ofset-up bars ready for another selecting set-up operation.

In view of the fact that the present punching mechanism is arranged tobe actuated by a typewriter having alphabet characters as well asnumerals, thus making at least thirtyeight keys to control twelvepunches, it is obvious that some means is required whereby combinationsof the keys are made to produce a punching of the card corresponding tocertain of the key letters or numerals. In carrying out thisidentification system the preferred arrangementis suchthat operation ofany key of the number keys will cause the number punch for that key tobe set up for a punching operation; that operation of any alphabet keyfrom A to M inclusive will cause the setting up of a punch correspondingto the letter key operated; and that operation of any alphabet key fromN to Z will cause two punch% to be set up in a combination correspondingto the letter key operated. That this may be more readily understood thepresent code of operation. is to arrange the electrical circuits so thatwhen the A key isoperated it will set up the punch number 11; the B keypunch 0; 0 key punch 1; and continuing successively to M key which setsup unch 12. For convenience letters I and J oth function for punch 7.The remaining keys for the balance of the alphabet are arranged ascombinations of punch 12 with another punch. Thus the N key causespunches 11 and 12 to be set up; O key sets up punches 0 and 12; P keysets up punches 1 and 12; Q key sets up punches 2 .and 12; R key sets uppunches 3 and 12; S key sets up punches 4 and 12; T key sets up punches5 and 12; either key U or V sets up punches 6 and 12, key W sets uppunches 7 and 12; either X or Z key sets up punches 8 and 12; and Y keysets up punches 9 and 12. It will be understood that this is merely onearrangement shown by way of example and because it has been found tooperate successfully, but obviously different combinations can be madeeither through choice or for different record conditions.

I As an example of the circuits operated by individual keys forindividual punches reference is had to Fig. 3 wherein keys 1 and C andpunch 1 and the circuit thereof are taken as a sample of the circuits ofthe group of which these key contacts form a part. The solenoid 35 whichcontrols punch 1 is included in a circuit with the source of current andhas one conductor 43 leading to the contact 41 of the key 1, and abranchconductor 44 leading to the contact 41 of the key C. The contactor42 of the key 1 is connected to the common return conductor 39 of all ofthe circuits, and a conductor 45 leads from the contactor 42 of the k y'C to the same return conductor39. Thus he keys 1 and C are connected inparallel in the circuit of the solenoid 35 of punch 1 and the movementof either of these keys to brin its contactor 42 against its contact 41closes t e circuit and causes the solenoid in that circuit to make aset-up for punch 1. Thus all letter keys from A to M are connected inparallel with number keys from zero to twelve, the arrangement being asheretofore described, keys A and 11 setting up punch 11, keys B and zerosetting up punch zero, and so on throughout the group.

As an example of the circuits operated by individual keys to cause morethan one punch in a row to be operated at a time, reference is had toFig. 4 wherein letter key P, number keys 1 and 12, and punches 1 and 12are taken as a sample of the circuits of the group of which these keycontacts form a part. The two solenoids 35 which respectively controlthe punches 1 and 12 are included in a circuit with the source ofcurrent, the one being in series circuit with contact 41 and contactor42 of key 1 for single operation of punch 1, the other being in seriescircuit with contact 41 and contactor 42 of key 12 for single operationof punch 12, and both solenoids being in parallel circuit with auxiliarycontacts 46, and contactor 42 of the key P for dual operation of thepunches 1 and 12. Where two letter keys, such as X' and Z, arerepresented by the same two punches, their contacts 46 are bridged by aconductor 47 so that the operation of either closes the same punchcircuit.

automatically fed from a magazine 50 one at a A time by a reciprocablepicker bar 51 and are delivered to the registration passage by pairs offeed rolls 52. when a stop 53 holds each card against further movementby the friction rollers 54 during the gang punching operation. \Vhenthis operation is completed, the stop 53 is automatically removed andthe card then feeds over a discharge roller 55 and is ejected into thehopper 5'6.

From the foregoing it will be apparent that a complete unitary combinedtypewriting and card perforating machine has been devised whereby it ispossible to simultaneously record predetermined data on a typewriter andcontrol a setting up mechanism to cause the perforating of acard inaccordance with the particular recorded data; such perforated card thenrepresenting, by its perforations, the item or items of thesubject-matter recorded on the typewriter. Furthermore, the presentinvention makes possible the use of all the typewriter keys forperforating purposes even though the number of punches is less than thenumber of keys on the keyboard of the machine. Thus in the presentinstance but twelve punches are used while thirtyeight keys control thepunches to cause perforations in the card having identifyingcharacteristics of the keys operated. Where the data compiled is in theform of figures, the punch corresponding to the particular figure can beset up by the actuation of thatfigure key of the typewriter. Forexample, pressing down typewriter key 1 closes the circuit of thesolenoid for punch 1. On the other hand if alphabet characters or wordsare being compiled pressing down key C will also close the circuit ofpunch 1 to cause the desired location of the perforation in the card.Again if typewriter key P is pressed down a circuit including thesolenoid of punch 1 andthe solenoid of punch 12 is closed and a set-upof punches 1 and 12 is made whereby the card is perforated at two pointsin the same column. Of course it will be understood that many keycombinations may be made differing from those here shown to cause one ormore than one perforation to be made in a card; also that certain littleused letters are combined with others to cause operation'ofthe samepunch for perfectly obvious reasons.

For convenience of control the typewriter keyboard may be supplied withextra keys, or

\ keys which are seldom used may be employed,

a control circuit which causes the space mechanism of the punch machineto operate so that the pin set-up is moved into vertical alignment withthe next adjacent vertical row of numbers or characters on the card. Inother wordsfthe operation of the space keys shifts the punch set-upcarriage one space.

The key marked Skip is arranged so that its operation causes thecarriage to skip a row.- The key marked Clutch controls operation of thepunch mechanism and the key marked Carriage return controls theautomatic return of the punch carriage as will be understood. y.

In Fig. 5 a sample card is shown wherein the perforations represent theabbreviated company name Powers Acct Mach Corp.

Thus when the card was prepared the writing I of the name on thetypewriter simultaneously made a set-up of punches in the punchingmachine, so that when the name was completed the operation of thepunching machine perforated the card at all the predetermined locations.It will be-understood that it is preferable, though notnecessary, tohave the typewriter make a complete set-up of all typed F data for acard before operating the punching mechanism, and thereafterautomatically replacing the perforated card with an unperforated cardready for code punching of the data to be placed on that card.

- It has heretofore been proposed to employ combinations of keys in amanual key punch, so that a greater number of operations are possiblethan there are key punches, but this system depends upon memorizing allcombinations and manually operating the key combinations from memory, sothat not only is there a'wide chance for errors in punching, but alsothe speedof operating is at a minimum. In work of this characteraccuracy and speed are two of the most important factors, so that by thepresent invention not only is there the speed of the operator greatlyincreased over the ordinary manual punching but the chance of error isreduced to a minimum. This latter is due to the fact that if the oerator wishes to punch the card for the letter N, it is only necessaryto press down the typewriter kev N and simultaneouslv the two punchesfor that letter will be set up. The operator does not have to rememberkeys 11 and 12 give the combination for the letter N, because this istaken care of automatically by the key-board control mechanism.

While but one of the many forms in which the present invention may beembodied has been here shown, it is to be understood that the inventionis not limited to any specific construction but might be applied invarious forms without departing from the spirit of the invention or thescope of the appended claims.

Having thus described our invention, we claim:

1. In acard perforating mechanism, the combination of a plurality ofrows of punches, means for controlling said punches,

a keyboard having a group of numeral keys and a group of letter keys,said keys exceeding the number of punches in a row, means actuated byeither a number key or a letter key for causing said controlling meansto control a predetermined punch,'and means actuated by the operation ofone key of one group for causing said controlling means to control meansto actuate two predetermined punches, one of said two punches being thesame for every combination. 7

2. In a mechanism of the character stated, the combination of atypewriter and a punching mechanism, said punching mechanism in cludinga plurality of rows of punches, each row corresponding to a column of arecord card and having a less number of punches than there are keys onsaid typewriter, a set-up mechanism, including rows of set-up bars,means arranged to travel from row to row of said set-up bars forselectively operating said set-up mechanism, a feeding device forautomatically delivering cards one at a time to said punching mechanism,means actuated by any one of a group of the keys of said typewriter forcausing said selecting means to set two punches predetermined by the keyoperated, and means operated by any one of another group of saidtypewriter keys for causing said selecting means to set onepredetermined punch.

3.- In a mechanism of the character stated, the combination of atypewriter and a punching mechanism, said punching mechanism including aplurality of rows of punches, each row corresponding to a column of arecord card and having a less number of punches than there are keys onsaid typewriter, a set-up mechanism, including rows of set-up bars,means arranged to travel from row to row of said'set-up bars forselectively operating said set-u mechanism, a feeding device forautomatically delivering cards one at a time to said punching mechanism,means-actuated by any one of a group of the keys of said typewriter forcausing said selecting means to set two punches predetermined by the keyoperated, means operated by any one of another group of saidtypebination of a keyboard, a punching mechanism including a pluralityof rows of punches, each row corresponding to a column of a record cardand having a less number of punches than there are keys on saidkeyboard, set-up bars for the respective punches, a selecting devicearranged to travel across said set-up mechanism, automatic means forsuccessively feeding cards to said punching mechanism, means actuated byany one of a group of said I keys for causing said selecting device toset two set-up bars predetermined by the keys operated, and meansactuated by any one of another group of keys for causing said selectingdevice to set one set-up bar predetermined by the key operated.

5. In acard perforating machine, the combination of a keyboard, apunching mechanism including a plurality of rows of punches, each rowcorresponding to a column of a record card and having a less number ofpunches than there are keys on said keyboard, set-up bars for therespective punches, a selecting device arranged to travel across saidset-up mechanism, automatic means for successively feeding cards to saidpunching mechanism, means actuated by any one of a group of said keysfor causing said selecting device to set two set-up bars predeterminedby the keys operated, means actuated by any one of another group of keysforcausing said selecting device to set one set-up bar predetermined bythe key operated, and means for causing all punches corresponding to thesetup bars to simultaneously perforate a card.

6. In a card perforating machine, the combination of a keyboard, apunching mechanism including a plurality of rows of punches, each rowcorresponding to a" column of a record card and having a less number ofpunches than there are keys on said keyboard, set-up. bars for therespective punches, a selecting device arranged to travel across saidset-up mechanism, automatic means for successively feeding cards, meansactuated by any one of a group of said keys for causlng said selectingdevice to set two set-up bars predetermined J determined by the keyoperated.

7. In a card perforating machine, the combination of a keyboard, apunching mechanism including a plurality of rows of punches, each rowcorresponding to a column of a record card and having a less number ofpunches than there are keys on said keyboard, set-up bars for therespective punches, a selecting device arranged to travel across saidset-up mechanism, automatic means for successively feeding cards to andfrom said punching mechanism, means actuated by any one of a group ofsaid keys for causing said selecting device to set two set-up barspredetermined by the keys operated, means actuated by any one of anothergroup of keys for causing said selecting device to set one set-up barpredetermined by the key operated, and means for causing all punchescorresponding to the setup bars to simultaneously perforate a card.

8. In a mechanism of the character stated, the combination of atypewriter and a perforating machine comprising a plurality of rows ofpunch set-up devices fixedly mounted against lateral movement on themachine, a punch selecting mechanism laterally shiftable over saidset-up devices from row to row for operating said set-up devices, andmeans for operating said set-up devices singly for-certain characterswritten on the typewriter and in combination for other characterswritten on the typewriter.

Signed at New Brunswick, in the county of Middlesex and State of NewJersey, this 28th day of October, 1924.

ALFRED VVEILAND. HAROLD R. RUSSELL. CHARLES'A. MEZGER.

CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION? Patent No. 1,682, 451.

Granted August '28, 192 8, to

ALFRED WEILAND ET AL.

It is hereby certified that error appears in the printed specificationof the above numbered patentrequiring correction as follows:

Page 4, line 85, claim 1', strike out the words "means to actuate"; andthat the, said Letters Patent should be read with this'correctiontherein thatthe same may conform to the record of the case in the PatentOffice. I

Signed and sealed this 20th day of November, A. D. 1928.

4 (Seal) I M. J. Moore, Acting Commissioner of Patents.

